Cash-strapped Emfuleni local municipality has spent over R65-million leasing water tanks from three companies but the community still struggles to access water.
This is according to Gauteng MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs Mzi Khumalo in his reply to Nico de Jager, DA member of provincial legislature (MPL).
Khumalo said Emfuleni paid contractors R65 251 020.39 for water tankers to supply water between 2020 and 2023.
According to Khumalo, tenders to supply water were given to Downtown Spares, Plexiphon 213, and Alsandro Construction.
In 2020/2021, Emfuleni spent over R12-million to hire water tankers and a year later close to R25-million was spent for the tender. In 2023, the municipality paid contractors more that R27-million for water tankers services.
All three companies had signed a 36-months contracts with the municipality.
DA MPL Kingsol Chabalala said this week that thousands of residents in parts of Emfuleni are being deprived of access to uninterrupted water supply despite the municipality paying contractors millions of rands.
“Many residents claim that they go weeks without getting water from the tankers,” according to Chabalala.
“This is unacceptable, as access to water is a basic right. The contractors are paid to render this service.
“The affected residents are now forced to either buy water or commute to neighbouring areas to fetch it.”
Chabalala said the municipality must learn from the previous DA-led multi-party coalition in Mogale City, which procured 12 water tankers instead of outsourcing.
“Over R65-million is too much to be spent on outsourcing water tankers,” said Chabalala.
“The DA proposes that Emfuleni prioritises investing in fixing existing water infrastructure to ensure residents have access to uninterrupted water supply.
“We will table follow-up questions to MEC Khumalo to ascertain how many people have benefited from these tankers, and if the municipality has plans to procure own tankers.”
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